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In Valparaiso, hundreds of people attended a groundbreaking celebration Friday for Journeyman Distillery on South Campbell. The company is looking to begin construction in the coming weeks and plans to open in stages, beginning early 2023. The Mayors Office says it’s a historic restoration project, transforming a former windshield wiper factory into a 140,000-square foot destination with distillery, brewery, whiskey garden, restaurant and more. The site has been home to various industries dating back to just after the Civil War, but virtually vacant since the mid 1980s. Owner and operator Bill Welter said it’s an exciting next step for the Welter family, who first arrived in Valparaiso in the early 1900’s and has had continuous business operations in the community since the early 1970’s. Welter founded the Journeyman Distillery just north of the state line in Three Oaks, Michigan in 2010.
